Chain-driven ratchet wrench



May 18, 1954 B. F. TACKETT CHAIN-DRIVEN RATCHET WRENCH 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 19, 1953 I'I'll'g A'Lmll INVENTOR BENNY F TAcKETT ME'WW)@W* ATTURNE1 May 18, 1954 B. F. TACKETT CHAIN-DRIVEN RATCHET WRENCH 2 Sheets-Sheet 2;

Filed y 19, 1955 FIQZ INVENTOR BENNY F TACKETT fwvtaza v u ATTORNEYS Patented May 18, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CHAIN-DRIVEN RATCHET WRENCH Benny F. Tackett, Wales, Ky.

Application May 19, 1953, Serial No. 356,051

3 Claims. 1

This invention relates to hand wrenches. More particularly, the invention has reference to a wrench wherein a chain is in mesh with a pair of rotatably mounted sprockets, one of which has a tool member rotating therewith, means being provided to drive the chain under the control of a user for the purpose of imparting rotary motion to said tool member.

The main object of the present invention is to provide a generally wrench, which will be particularly adapted for use in relatively inaccessible locations, and which will further be adapted to place considerable force upon the tool member during rotation of the same, with a minimum exertion on the part of the user.

A further object of importance is to provide a wrench as stated wherein the chain will be driven by swinging movement of a handle pivotally mounted upon the chain housing, said handle having a ratchet means associated therewith which is particularly formed to engage links of the chain for the purpose of driving the same.

Yet another object is to provide a device of the character referred to wherein the ratchet means will be reversible, so as to permit the chain to be driven in a left or right hand direction as desired, on swinging of the handle.

Another object is to provide adevice of the type stated wherein the work-engaging tool 1 member will be detachably connected to the sprocket with which it is rotatable, thus to permit ready substitution of tool members differing from one another as to shape or size.

Another object of importance is to provide a I wrench as stated the overall shape of which will be such as to particularly facilitate the use of the wrench in confined areas, the wrench being elongated and of minimum cross sectional area to give effect to this object.

Yet another object is to provide a wrench as described which, in one form thereof, will be of curved formation, thus to make the wrench even more versatile so far as use in relatively inaccessible areas is concerned, the design of the wrench being such as to permit the chain housing to have any of a substantial number of diiferent shapes.

Other objects will appear from the following description, the claims appended thereto, and from the annexed drawings, in which like reference characters designate like parts throughout the several views, and wherein:

Figure 1 is an elevational view of a wrench termed in accordance with the present invention;

improved chain driven Figure 2 is an elevational view taken from the right of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken substantially on line E-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary sectional view taken substantially on line il of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is an enlarged, fragmentary elevational view of the head portion of the device;

Figure 6 is an enlarged, fragmentary longitudinal sectional view taken substantially on line 8- 5 of Figure 1;

Figure '7 is a, longitudinal sectional view on line l'-l of Figure 5;

Figure 8 is a transverse sectional view through the head portion taken substantially on line 8-8 of Figure 5;

Figure 9 is a plan view of a bushing and its associated tool member, per se;

Figure 10 is a plan view of another bushing used in the head portion of the device;

Figure 11 is an elevational view of a workengaging tool member, per se;

Figure 12 is a reduced elevational view of a modified form of wrench; and

Figure 13 is an enlarged, fragmentary, longitudinal sectional view through the housing of the form of wrench illustrated in Figure 12.

In the form of the invention shown in Figures 1-11, the wrench includes an elongated, straight, tubular housing in formed open at its opposite ends. The housing can be appropriately considered as having a handle end and a head end, and the formation of the housing at each of said ends will be described in turn.

At its handle end, the housing it is formed with transversely aligned, fiat, longitudinal extensions !2, said extensions being formed with transversely aligned openings receiving the opposite ends of a pivot pin 14. Pivot pin M, as shown in Figure 3, may be a conventional bolt, to which a nut is applied for the purpose of holding the pin assembled with its associated extensions [2.

Rotatably mounted on the pin is, between the extensions i2, is a chain sprocket l5, and meshing with said sprocket is a chain [8.

A handle has been designated by the reference numeral 20, and at its inner end, has fork arms apertured for extension of pin it therethrough, said fork arms embracing the sprocket it between them as best shown in Figure 3. In this way, the handle 20' is pivotally mounted upon its associated housing Ill.

The handle is provided, at said inner end thereof, with a V-shaped pawl 22, having teeth 24 at its opposite ends engageable in selected links of socket, receiving a clamp screw46.

aeveevv 3 the chain it. The pawl is fulcrumed medially between its ends upon a pin 26 extending between the fork arms of the handle, a spring-loaded bali detent 28 being provided in the handle and being adapted to releasably hold the pawl against retrograde movement from selected positions to which it is pivotally adjusted about the axis of pin 25. As will be noted, the pawl is provided, medially between its ends, with angularly related surfaces either of which is engageable by the 7 ball element, said surfaces intersecting at a point 30.

By reason of the construction illustrated,

swinging of the handle in one direction will drive the chain it, swinging of the handle to its return position, in an opposite direction, permitting the pawl to ratchet over the lengths of the chain.

When, subsequently, the handle is again swung in the first-named direction, the chain will again be driven. A ratchet means is thus provided by the pawl 22, cooperating with thechain, the chain constituting the ratchet and the pawl being of the reversible type to permit the chain to be driven in either direction, as desired.

At that end thereof remote from the handle the housing iii is-provided with ahead 32 (Figures 6 and 7). Head'32 has an inner end portion extending into the adjacent open end of the housing iii, said inner end portion of the-head being tapered to provide guide surfaces for the opposite flights of the chain. The taperedinner end portion of the headBZ-nierges into an-outer end portion, which is bifurcated to define form arms 3%;

The head 32 is brazed or otherwise fixedly secured to the adjacent end of housingiflyand to the fork arms 34 against spreading, a connecting screw 3% can be extended therebetween (Figure 7).

In the outer ends of the fork arms, transversely aligned, circular openings of substantial size are formed, and rotatably mounted in one or" said openings is a bushing 45, the other opening having a bushing 38* rotatably mounted therein.

Between the bushingstt, liha sprocket d2 is disposed, said sprocket being in mesh with the chain it. Sprocket 32 has a central, non-circular aperture, said aperture being approximately square in the illustrated exampleof theinvention. A'tcol member M is engagedin said aperture, the tool member having, at one end thereof, a work-engaging formation which projects laterallyoi the head 32. the work-engaging formation can be of any de sired type, whether male or female, and also can be oi any selected size. The tool member 34, in-

, termediate its ends, is provided with circumferentially spaced shoulders 45 that engage against the outer end of the bushing 38.

In one end, the tool member 44 has a threaded The head of screw ie is of tapered formation, and overlies the bushing t3, and it will thus be seen that on threading of the screw 46' inwardly of its associated recess, the tool member will be securely connected to the sprocket 42, and will be rotated withthe sprocket whenever the chain is driven. The tool member can of course be readily removed, for substitution of another tool member It will be understood that- In Figures 12 and 13 there is shown a modified form wherein the housing has been designated :y the reference numeral 50, and though elongated and relatively narrow like the housing 10,

the housing 5% is curved throughout its length. r

The purpose or" this construction is. to permit the housing til to be extended into relatively" inaccessible locations in which the straight housit cannot be used. Conversely, the housing til might be usable in certain locations in which the hcusingtd is incapable of use.

Apart from the arcuate shape t ereof, the'device shown in Figures 12 and 13 is similar to that shown in the first form of the invention. The arcuate shape of the housing, of course, makes it advisabie that pins 54 be extended between the nights of the chain'ti oi the structure, at loca tions spaced longitudinally of the housing 50. Spacer sleeves 5B are circurnposed about the pins, to hold the flights of the chain apart throughout the length of the housing.

The head formation of the modified formis thesame as that in the first form of the invention, and similarly, the handle and ratchet means will be identical to that previously described herein;

In use, the tool member l i is applied to'the' work to be rotated; after which the handle 28 is grasped and swung back and; forth with the ratchet ineansdefined by pawl 22 in a selected position of pivotal adjustment. This will cause the chain to be driveninone direction, the'pawl driving the chain when the" handle is swung in said direction and ratcheting over the chain links when the handleis swung'in a reverse direction. Great force is applied to the work, iorthe purpose of rotating the same, since the handle affords considerable leverage; which is translated into rotary movement by the sprocket and chain means illustrated; At the' same'time, the'tool' has the desirable characteristics oiprelative lightness and compactness, permitting its use inconfined quarters.

It is believed apparentthat the invention is not necessarily limited'to the specificuseor uses thereof described above, since it' may be utilized for any purpose to which it may be suited. Nor is the invention to ,be'necessarily confined-to the, specific construction illustrated and described, since such construction is only intended to be illustrative of the principles of' operation and the rneans'presently devised to carryout said-principles, it beingconsidered that the invention comprehends any minorchange in construction that may be permitted within the scope of the appended claims.

What isclaimed:

l. A chain driven ratchet wrench comprising an eiongatedtubular housing having a head end: a handle end, saidhandleend beingiormed" with a pair of transversely flat extensions, said pair of extensions each having a transversely disposed opening, a. pivot pin secured in said openings, a firstchain sprocket rotatably secured on said pin between said-pair of extensions and spaced therefrom, a handle having its inner end formed with a pair of arms disposedinface to face relation, said pair of arms having an aligned aperture therethrough and being disposed one'on each side of said sprocket between said'pair'oi extensions and having said pivot pin traversing their associated apertures for pivotal movement f said handle relative to said housing, a-pawlp-ivotally secured to said handle at-its innerend' between said pair of forked arms, a-pair ofbifur cated arms on said housing at the-head end? remote from said handle, an end portion secured to said head end between said pair of bifurcated arms, said end portion being tapered inwardly from its end on each of its sides between and transversely disposed relative to said bifurcated arms, a transversely aligned opening in each of said pair of bifurcated arms, a bushing in each opening, an out-of-round work member rotatably positioned in said bushings and projecting at one end from one of said bushings to form a workengaging member, said work member having a shoulder engageable with said one of said bushings for restraint of movement in one direction of said work member through said bushing, a screw releasably threaded in said work member at its non-projecting end and axially thereof, said screw having its periphery overlying the other one of said bushings and operable to restrain movement of said work member through said bushings in the other direction, a second chain sprocket disposed between said bushings and having an aperture adapted to receive said work member therethrough for rotational movement therewith, and a chain operatively connecting said first and second sprockets and having successive links drivably engaged by said pawl for movement in a selected direction upon rotation of said handle relative to said housing.

2. A chain drive ratchet wrench comprising an elongated straight tubular housing having a head end and a handle end, said handle end being formed with a pair of flat extensions disposed in spaced face to face relation, said pair of extensions each having a transversely disposed opening in each, a pivot pin secured in said openings, a first chain sprocket rotatably secured on said pin between said pair of extensions and spaced therefrom, a handle having its inner end formed with a pair of arms disposed in face to face relation, said pair of arms having an aligned aperture therethrough and being disposed one on each side of said sprocket between said pair of extensions and having said pivot pin traversing their associated apertures for pivotal movement of said handle relative to said housing, a pawl pivotally secured to said handle at its inner end between said pair of arms, a pair of bifurcated arms on said housing at the head end remote from said handle, an end portion secured to said head end between said pair of bifurcated arms and being tapered inwardly from its end on each of its sides transversely disposed relative to said pair of bifurcated arms, a bushing in each opening, an out-of-round work member rotatably positioned in said bushings and projecting at one end from one of said bushings to form a work-engaging member, said work member having a shoulder engageable with said one of said bushings for restraint of movement in one direction of said work member through said bushings, a screw removably threaded in said work member at its non-projecting end axially thereof, said screw having its periphery overlying the other one of said bushings and operable to restrain movement in the other direction of said work member through said bushings, a second chain sprocket disposed between said bushings and having an aperture adapted to receive said work member therethrough for rotational movement therewith, and a chain operatively connecting said first and second sprockets and having successive links drivably engaged by said pawl for movement in a selected direction upon rotation of said handle relative to said housing.

3. A chain drive ratchet wrench comprising an arcuately shaped elongated tubular housing having a head end and a handle end, said handle end being formed with a pair of flat extensions disposed in spaced face to face relation, said pair of extensions each having a transversely disposed opening in each, a pivot pin secured in said openings, a first chain sprocket rotatably secured on said pin between said pair of extensions and spaced therefrom, a handle having its inner end formed with a pair of arms disposed in face to face relation, said pair of arms having an aligned aperture therethroughand being disposed one on each side of said sprocket between said pair of extensions and having said pivot pin traversing their associated apertures for pivotal movement of said handle relative to said housing, a pawl pivotally secured to said handle at its inner end between said pair of arms, a pair of bifurcated arms on said housing at the head end remote from said handle, an end portion secured to said head end between said pair of bifurcated arms and being tapered inwardly from its end on each of its sides transversely disposed relative to said pair of bifurcated arms, a transversely aligned opening in each of said pair of bifurcated arms, a bushing in each opening, an out-of-round work member rotatably positioned in said bushings and projecting at one end from one of said bushings to form a Work-engaging member, said work member having a shoulder engageable with said one of said bushings for restraint of movement in one direction of said work member at its non-projecting end axially thereof, said screw having its periphery overlying the other one of said bushings and operable to restrain movement in the other direction of said work member through said bushings, a second chain sprocket disposed between said bushings and having an aperture adapted to receive said work member therethrough for rotational movement therewith, a chain operatively connecting said first and second sprockets and having successive links drivably engaged by said pawl for movement in a selected direction upon rotation of said handle relative to said housing, and a plurality of spacer sleeves rotatably secured in said housing in spaced relation and operable to separate the flights of said chain.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,290,197 Merriman et a1. July 21, 1942 2,466,456 Lybyer Apr. 5, 1949 2,501,217 Hawn Mar. 21, 1950 2,530,553 Strobell Nov. 21, 1950 2,572,297 Able et a1 Oct. 23, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 642,558 France May 6, 1928 962,575 France Dec. 12, 1949 978,620 France Mar. 29, 1950 

